Letter to Luella: 10 months old

I’m going to try and get through writing this letter without crying. I don’t hold out much hope for that actually happening, but I will try.

I don’t know if it’s normal to feel this way, so emotional about a simple thing as a sweet, healthy baby growing, but I do. I feel like my heart is exposed and open, and ever-so-vulnerable.

I feel like I gave birth to you just yesterday, and now here you are… 10 months old {10 and 3/4 to be more precise} and nudging more towards turning one year old.

Oh-oh, here comes the lump in the throat.

With Lacey I’m sure that first year felt like 10 years, and with you it feels like 10 weeks. Can’t we stay at this age just a little longer?

I feel like we’ve hit the sweet spot. You’re sleeping, which means you’re happy. You’re independent, walking yourself where ever you want to go. You’re happy, and cheeky, and content with life. I think you like being you. I like you being you too.

You’ve been walking confidently for over a month now, which seems oddly cute because you’re still so tiny and much too small to be so mobile.

You’re into everything. If I dare leave a kitchen door ajar, you’re into it. If I leave something lying around, you’re into it. You want to be where the action is.

You’re so very cheeky. And so very smart. You can say “Hello Dad” and “Ball” and “Mama”. You love to dance, and sing, and play. You also like to make a mess. Lots of mess.

The other day, when I took these photos, I sat on the floor and moved around trying to capture you at this age. You laughed and kept coming to give me cuddles, so I’d hug you, and then move away to try and get more photos. Each time you kept coming back and giving me more and more cuddles, resting your head on my shoulder. You love cuddles, resting your head on the shoulder of anyone who will let you.

Yesterday you woke in the morning, and you just sat in your cot and sang to yourself for 20 minutes. You’re so special and beautiful. Yes, there are times when you’re downright cranky, and you let us know it, but for the most part you one pretty cool kid. And I love you. I love you to the moon and back little Lulu. I love you.